US Navy veteran Benito Miranda Hernandez, who served three tours in the Iraq war, faces deportation despite receiving his green card this year. Brought from Mexico as a baby, Hernandez was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents upon his release from prison in June after completing a years-long sentence for a drug offense.
His mother, Maria Miranda, described her son's situation, saying, 'He was getting his life together. He had so many hopes, so many dreams.' Miranda and her sibling were unable to learn where Hernandez had been taken for hours.
Military service did not bring citizenship
Hernandez had enlisted in the US military with the promise that his service would be a path to citizenship. However, when he was called for a citizenship interview in 2006, two years had passed since his last tour, and during that time he had been convicted of a drug offense. His citizenship application was denied.
Hernandez, who received a green card for permanent residency earlier this year, is currently being held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego.
Veteran deportation cases rise under Trump
Hernandez's detention is part of a rise in deportation cases involving immigrant service members under the Trump administration. According to The New York Times, which reported in March, at least 34 veterans have been subjected to deportation proceedings in the past year.
Advocates say that although ICE is required to record the veteran status of detainees, it has long failed to collect this data, so the exact number of deported veterans is unknown.
Danitza James, head of the advocacy group Repatriate our Patriots, said she is in contact with about six veterans detained by ICE in 2026 alone. James, who is herself a veteran and naturalized citizen, said, 'Our government places no value on the service of immigrants. They frankly see us as something to be used and discarded.'
Mother says her son's hopes were thrown away
Hernandez's mother, Miranda, is trying to keep her son's spirits up. She answers calls from the ICE detention center and sees him during visiting hours on Saturdays. However, the two-hour drive from Anaheim to San Diego is taking a toll on her health.
Miranda said her son was very depressed during her last visit, recounting that he told her, 'I don't want to cause you more trouble. I don't want to upset you anymore, Mom. I'm getting my life together. I'm praying for myself.'
Speaking through tears, Miranda said, 'They clipped a bird's wings, they threw away all its hopes.'
Protection bills await in Congress
Several bills aimed at protecting immigrant veterans are being considered in the US Congress. However, military recruiters continue to target immigrant communities with the promise of expedited citizenship.
The next steps in Hernandez's case are not yet clear. At a demonstration outside the federal courthouse in San Diego last week, a lawyer from a local immigration organization said they could help with Hernandez's case.
